Latest News – The Horse

The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) has weighed in on the recent endorsement of a national welfare code of practice for the horse industry. Drafted by the American Horse Council and endorsed by several major horse industry groups, the welfare code offers generic guidelines for responsible breeding, training and care of horses (

The benefits of omega-3 fatty acids for horses are believed to be numerous: decreased inflammation in various tissues, increased immune response, maintenance of healthy membranes, and an upsurge in sperm production, to name just a few.

Flaxseed and flaxseed oil have been fed to horses for decades, primarily to improve coat condition of sales or show horses. Both flaxseed and

Electroacupuncture–the electrical stimulation of acupuncture points–can be an effective method of controlling laryngeal hemiplegia (roaring), reported researchers performing the technique on horses presented to the Veterinary Medical Center of the University of Florida.

Law enforcement authorities in three Wisconsin counties are investing a series of shooting incidents that left five animals dead or dying in their pastures.

Three Dunn County horse owners discovered their animals either dead or dying in their pastures on Sunday morning. One wounded horse died the following day. All the animals had sustained small caliber gunshot wounds, said Dun

Officials at Calder Race Course Nov. 30 said a horse previously in its stable area has tested positive for equine herpesvirus (EHV-1) and that the track would not permit horses to ship into the facility for stabling or for a race for 14 days.

Officials at Calder, in Miami Gardens, Fla., said no other horses are showing signs of illness.

"This appears to be

Phil McCarthy, DVM, a veterinarian who specialized in reproductive issues and the owner of Watercress Farm near Paris, Ky., died Nov. 29 of cancer at his home in Lexington. He was 58.

"Phil McCarthy was a pioneer in many different areas of the horse business; from fetal sexing of mares to diagnosing and treating stallion infertility," said James Robertson, DVM, Dipl.

A scholarship in honor of Patrick Swayze and his wife Lisa Niemi has been established by the Arabian Horse Foundation (AHF), based in Denver, Colo. Swayze and Niemi have had close ties to the Arabian horse breed and owned Arabian horses for many years. The Foundation is the charitable arm of the Arabian Horse Association (AHA), also based in Denver.

Announcement of the

A 75-year-old man charged under Alberta's Animal Protection Act for permitting animals to be in distress said he feels the charge is ridiculous, and that the seven horses he left in a trailer on the side of the road were fine.

Abe Phillips of McBride, British Columbia, was delivering the horses from B.C. to a

The Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) Bureau has passed a resolution delaying implementation of the new Equine Prohibited Substances List and the accompanying Equine Anti-Doping and Controlled Medication Regulations until April 5, 2010.

The resolution was passed in order to allow for broader debate and consultation on the policy change approved at the

All of the articles I’ve read talk about managing parasites in horses with turnout time. Like many other owners in dry locations, here in New Mexico I don’t have pasture. Both stalls and turnout areas consist of sand. I purchase bales of alfalfa and grass hay to feed my horses. What are the chances of parasite infection when horses do not graze?

Musculoskeletal injuries abound in horses, and there are many strategies to manage them besides confining a horse and waiting it out. Ask your veterinarian about therapeutic modalities/therapy equipment that can help your horse return expediently to maximum performance.